Medicine

West German Centre for Infectiology launched

The research priority of Immunology & ­Infectiology was given a new structure in 2013 when the West German Centre for Infectiology (WZI) was founded at University Hospital Essen. The WZI brings together the institutes and clinics at the hospital working in the research, prevention, diagnosis and therapy of infectious diseases. The Centre also incorporates Hospital Hygiene at University Hospital Essen, all intensive care units and the antibiotics consultation service. One focus of the WZI’s work is on infectious diseases among immunocompromised patients. Advances in medicine have been accompanied by a significant increase in the number of people with acquired immune deficiency. It occurs, for example, in conjunction with immunosuppressive therapy after transplantation, after chemotherapy to treat cancer, and among patients with HIV or severe liver conditions.